The MI Racing Academy

As most of you know, I am joining the MI Racing Academy. This will be a big change and just what I need at the moment to keep improving.  My previous club Nottingham Clarion was brilliant and I loved racing for them but now I have new coaches and mentors as well as support from sponsors and Team Jewson.  I'm really excited to be joining the MI Academy and I'm really looking forward to be racing with my new friends and teammates.

Last week we had our team launch which included a bike fit at Midland Bike Fit. This was really fun, I enjoyed meeting my new teammates and learning what the Academy is all about.  

So far it's been great fun, but the real challenge is going to come when we're racing! 

You can find us here at: www.themiracingacademy.co.uk

My 9 Favourite Photos of last Year

I really enjoyed taking photos at races last year. Here are the 9 photos that I'm most pleased with. I hope you enjoy them! 

Welcome to 2016!!!

2016 has arrived!! This meant that there were only 4 Cyclocross races left of the season. For me there were 2 really important races. 

I'll start with part 1 of our racing saga. The National Championships in Shrewsbury. I have never run so much in a cycling race before!! This was one of the most challenging courses of the 2015-16 Cyclocross season and anyone that was to win here, was to win in style. Results-wise I came 25th which is my best national champs result to date. However I would like to mention the U14s winner Emile Alexander. He absolutely smashed it and was definitely a worthy winner, I say this because not only did he win by over 4 MINUTES!! but he also was the fastest rider in the whole youth category, when i say fastest, I mean if he started with the U16s he would have won that too by over a minute. An impeccable ride if you ask me.

Part 2 is of the final NDCXL league race, in Broxtowe. With all the wet weather in the past week it was quite surprising to see that the course was quite slippery and not as boggy and wet like it typically would be at this time. That fell into my favour as I prefer that type of course. now onto the race. From the start l was leading, getting the holeshot up the road. Then out of the woods I got a lead of 20 seconds. Every lap I pulled away from the Main Field by up to 1 minute and at the end my lead totalled of a whole 2 minutes. This was my first overall win as an U16 and the best way to finish the Cyclocross season.

Moda Forte Bike Review

Last Sunday I rode my new Moda Forte for the first time on the track. This was a Team Time Trial RSR (British Cycling Regional School of Racing) at Manchester Velodrome and was a perfect way to test this bike on a hard session but out of competition. 

It felt like a big step up from my club Dolan which I had pretty much outgrown.  Although both have an aluminium frame the Moda is more streamlined and comes with carbon forks.  It felt good straight away and only needed a few tweaks to make the ride perfect (dropping the stem for the ride I'm used to). It really is the whole package for the type of track bike that I need at the moment, with its American Classic wheels. The only things that I needed to change were the 44cm handlebars which felt huge (swapped for some 40s) and the sprocket, because I need youth gears.

I can't wait to race it.

http://www.moda-bikes.com/portfolioentry/forte/

Ghent 6 day 2015

Some of the Architecture in Ghent is amazing!

The Ghent 6 day. One of the world's most prestigious 6 day track races. This event attracts thousands of cycling crazed spectators from all over the globe into one velodrome in the centre of Ghent. This year I got the chance to visit this race for the first time with some friends... and boy was it exciting. Even hearing the blasting music from outside the velodrome got me excited to see what would happen inside! 

Chris Lawless

On the 2nd to last night Ilio Keisse (the local pro) raced to the win and managed to get the lap on the field that him and his comrade Michael Morkov needed to win this years event (pictured below). This was amazing to watch, all the crowd went wild at the move and it looked awesome. To be honest I'd love to ride on that track but then again wouldn't anyone?

Thanks to Tom, Vicky, Alex and Matilda for taking me!

This is the favourite photo that I took over the weekend
 - Ilio making a move

This is Ilio's move to take the win

Winner, Winner, Chicken, Dinner (my iccle wickle little sis, Lotta)

My sister Lotta had a brilliant weekend... I will let her tell you about it.

Hey guys,

So my first under 14's win, a big deal right? After having a great race at our home race in the NDCXL the day before (coming 2nd, my best result this season, only beaten by Zepnat's Ammo), I thought my weekend of racing couldn't get better, though obviously it could. I race again on Sunday on Lincoln. An up and down, twisty turny, long straight course suited me quite well as I could try to put the power down along the windy straights and put my good technical skills to the test down in the woods. I had a good start and in 2nd trying to stay ahead of an under 16 girl (Jessica Woodworth from Bourne Wheelers) but she was closing the gap I had on her.  Unfortunately she dropped her chain on the third lap leaving me wondering why she was so far back but also pleased as I had opened the gap up and I attacked again. Than it turned into one of my usual races of being on my own burying it to stay ahead. As the bell for the last lap started ringing I  knew I could hold on the 2nd place of all U16s 30s behind Isabel Darvil and 1st under 14 as long as i didn't muck it up by crashing or breaking my bike. Fortunately, I did it, I had won my first race, I was buzzing!  

Well done to anyone who raced!     

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

This bank was REALLY steep (Photo from Steph's Photo Page on Facebook)

HPP Sauce (Holme Pierrepont CX)

Last weekend the Mansfield family had a very busy 2 days. This was because we were doubling up on races with the NDCXL and Links League. Furthermore the NDCXL event was the Nottingham Clarion NDCXL event for this year! 

The NDCXL was a great event with an amazing and challenging course providing interesting racing when the weather took it's turn for the worst! (rain to say the least!!)


I've always enjoyed racing at my home grounds of Holme Pierrepont. Seeing the trees whip past when we race through Wildman Woods is always a fun section of when I race at HPP. This was an awesome race and I really enjoyed the course, after a couple of weeks of not feeling very competitive.  I was racing in a group of three with James Swadling and Tim Elsmore-Martin, it was very difficult and I needed to really dig in and attacked once to drop the first of them, and again to drop the second.  I was really pleased to secure my 5th place in the final positions, against some tough competition ahead.  Well done Toby Barnes who won... convincingly.

Team mate Calum on his way to his win in Juniors